In North Carolina, a new burger spot just popped up in the heart of downtown Wilmington. On its sign out front, a T. rex holds a smash burger in its clawed hand, roaring over the name “Zeke Smash.”
In addition to burgers, Zeke Smash serves up sandwiches, melty fried cheese curds, hot dogs, cheesecakes, and more.
And 5% of all profits go to various children’s cancer charities, including St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
The titular “Zeke” is the inspiration behind the new restaurant — and its charitable cause.
“Zeke is an energetic, fun, six-year-old. He’s the only child of my best friends,” Kyle Nelson, the owner of Zeke Smash and its attached bar Tide Taproom, told Good Good Good.
“We became fast friends and did everything together,” he continued. “Eventually Zeke comes along, and everyone’s happy. I’m happy for them, they’re happy. And then he’s born, and about 12 hours after he was born, he was taken into the NICU for a platelet transfusion.”
“And then,” Nelson said, “the whole world went to s—t.”
At just three months old, Zeke was diagnosed with Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia (JMML) — a rare, aggressive blood cancer in which bone marrow produces too many abnormal white blood cells (monocytes and myelocytes). And his diagnosis came the same year that the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“I watched them go through it all at once,” Nelson said. “They went through COVID, and they had a newborn who was sick. They were navigating chemotherapy, navigating ER trips.”
And soon, even with access to “really good health insurance,” the Ramsey family began racking up countless medical bills.
“I just personally found that reprehensible,” Nelson said.
On top of growing medical debt, Nelson said the Ramsey family entered a state of “constant vigilance.”
“It’s treatment, it’s off treatment, it’s okay, they’re sick; are they sick from the disease or is it just a cold? Is this fever going to potentially kill them?” Nelson posed. “And all the while, they’re trying to give him the best life possible.”
He also explained that fundraisers for fighting childhood cancer primarily focus on treatment and finding caretakers, but rarely focus on familial support and debt relief.
“You never hear about the potentially lifelong crippling medical debt that these families are going into to give their child a chance to survive — or making the choice to undergo treatment, to give them some more time,” Nelson said.
That’s when, in 2023, Nelson and his brother began tossing around the idea of a smash burger restaurant.
“We felt like there was a void in the market for a quality smash burger that comes out fast,” Nelson said. “Creating a place where people can pull off on the side of the road and just get something real quick and go.”
“We were banding around names and concepts and ideas, and it just kind of hit me: Zeke Smash,” he said. “And I thought, we can build out a charitable aspect of the business, building the restaurant around this idea of giving back to the community and highlighting a community that honestly doesn’t get enough support.”
“I just felt like, ‘I can do this,’” Nelson said. “I can make great food that people will enjoy, and I can use this platform to bring awareness and highlight an issue that isn’t really talked about a whole lot. And possibly do some good, too.”
When it comes to the Wilmington restaurant scene, Zeke Smash is still in its infancy, having just opened in the Cargo District in late October 2025.
As they grow, Nelson has big plans, including a huge St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser tentatively scheduled for late spring, where locals can shave their heads and raise money for children’s cancer treatments.
He also wants to create a “family of the month” program where they spotlight local families and promote their GoFundMes on social media.
Beyond stopping by in person for a smash burger, Nelson said people can support their mission by visiting St. Baldrick’s website and giving a donation or nominating someone to be a person of honor. Or by starting a local fundraiser of their own.
And yes, Zeke himself has had a Zeke Smash burger. His review?
“It’s a thumbs up,” Nelson laughed. “He really enjoys the food; he’s a fan. And I don't think it's just because I’m Uncle Kyle.”
Zeke Smash is located at 619 S 17th St, Wilmington, NC 28401
Header image by Meghan Cook/Good Good Good
